A Life at Sea
by Spike868
Summary: What if Angel was never rescued from beneath the sea at the end of Tomorrow? What would happen to the world as we know it if Angel wasn’t a part of the Angel Investigations team for the two years just gone? What if Spike was?
1. Chapter 1

Summary: _A vampire can exist indefinitely without feeding, but the damage to the mind can be catastrophic. _What if Angel was never rescued from beneath the sea at the end of _Tomorrow_? What if Wesley never found him in _Deep Down_? What would happen to the world as we know it if Angel wasn't a part of the Angel Investigations team for the two years just gone? What if Spike was called to fill in his place?

Chapter One

In the Wolfram and Hart offices, life was bustling as usual. Lorne was off doing his _mingle_ thing with the celebrities, Gunn was busy with legal papers, Fred was working on the next big science discovery in the lab and Connor was out on a reconnaissance mission. Spike was in his office, talking with a high profile client of Wolfram and Hart.

'So we meet Thursday for racket-ball then?' Spike wrapped up his conversation.

'You bet, see you then'

'Can't wait mate.' Spike said happily. He enjoyed his games of racket-ball against Tom. He was such a good player, and it was good competition.

Tom left Spike's office and Spike remained in his chair, thinking about how he got here. Harmony walked in the room carrying a mug reading '_No. 1 Boss_'.

'How's my Blondie-bear?' she greeted him happily, handing him his mug of warmed up blood.

'Harmony, please.' Spike replied. 'Keep that sort of talk out of the office.' He smiled seductively and got to his feet. 'Keep it for bedroom.' She giggled as he gave her a peck on the forehead.

'You know, ever since you became CEO of Wolfram and Hart I've noticed that there are two people you never talk about.' Harmony said.

'And they would be?'

'Buffy, and Angel.' Harmony replied.

'You see, if Buffy knew where I was and what I was doing now, she'd hate me. I'd rather just have her think I'm dead and that I'm a hero and leave it at that.' Spike answered her comment.

'And Angel?'

'Ah yes, the wanker. Well, I've always thought of him as "the one that got away", you know?' Spike chuckled as he wandered back to his chair. He sat down and leant back, allowing the chair to creak.

'But don't you want to know where he is?' Harmony asked. 'I mean, his people have been working for you for the past two years while their boss disappeared to God-knows-where, and you aren't even showing a little respect to the fact that they want to find him.'

'I think you're a little too concerned with Angel and not concerned enough with me.' Spike replied.

'Spikey, I want to try and be as human as possible here working for you, but I don't have a soul like you. I'm trying really, really hard to make this work.' She sniffled back tears, fake tears, but Spike didn't know that.

'Oh Harmony, I didn't mean it like that. If you think it will matter so much to them, then I'll have a team of top P.I's search for Angel right away.' Spike gave in.

'Thanks boss.' Harmony bounced on her toes and ran off to tell Fred the news. Spike sat back in his chair, pausing to think about Angel.

Where was he? Spike knew that he hated the bastard, just for leaving him, Dru and Darla. His soul made him something for Spike to hate, and he made it a passion. But deep down, Spike wanted to know where Angel was. He'd actually already organised a team of P.I's and they'd been searching for the past two months to find Angel. They'd also been tracking down Wesley; one of the people that everyone thought may have some information.

Suddenly, the phone rang. Spike answered.

'Hello?'

'Spike.' Came a voice on the other end. 'It's Eagle One.' Spike knew what this meant – it was one of the teams he had looking for Angel and Wesley.

'Do you have news?' Spike asked quietly.

'We have located Mr. Wesley Wyndham-Pryce. Would you like him to be brought in?'

Spike thought for a moment before answering. 'Yes, but don't make a scene. Bring him to the basement carpark and I'll meet you there.'

'We can be there in 30 minutes.' Eagle One replied.

'Okay.' Spike hung up. _Maybe good ol' Wes knows something_. Spike thought.

Even though he had a soul, Spike knew that inside of him he hated Angel for all of his life and everything that had happened while he was travelling the world with Darla and Drusilla. But he also knew that Angel was his grand-sire, and that meant something. They were connected, and Spike wondered why he couldn't figure out where Angel was.

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Elsewhere, at the bottom of the ocean… 

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Angel stared up into the water. Fish swam past him in his prison under the sea, unaware that he was there watching them go about their way.

_How long have I been here_? Angel wondered. In front of the box, Angel once again saw the face that terrified him the most during his lengthy stay beneath the water. Connor.

'Aagh!'

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Back at Wolfram and Hart, 30 Minutes later… 

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Spike waited in the carpark beneath the Wolfram and Hart building, as a large black van pulled up beside him as he waited near the elevator. The side door slid open to reveal three men dressed entirely in black, wearing balaclavas. They had a tight grip on a man wearing dark blue denim jeans and a blue and white striped shirt with a brown leather jacket. He had a black hood over his head, and his hands were pinned behind his back. Spike guessed that they were tied back there.

He signalled for them to bring him to the elevator. Two of the men hopped out of the van and pulled Wesley with them. The other man helped from behind. They were carefully so as not to hurt him, but couldn't help it when he slipped getting out and landed painfully on his knees on the ground. He groaned, which could be heard from underneath his hood, and hunched over, trying to block out the pain.

The two men helped him up and eased him towards the elevator. He hadn't said a word, except for the groan when he fell. He stood in silence still, with his head hung, not able to see what was going on. Spike pressed a button and the elevator doors closed.

Wesley could feel himself rising. He figured out that he was in an elevator, but where exactly was he? He hoped these guys weren't trying to hurt him. He heard the doors open, and felt himself being forced out.

Spike led the two men and Wesley into his office. He nodded towards a chair, where the two men brought Wesley over and sat him down.

'Wait outside.' Spike told the two men.

Wesley recognised that voice. He knew it from somewhere… but he couldn't remember. He felt dizzy. The drink he was holding when the men grabbed him was probably resting in the gutter now.

'Wesley.' Spike said, removing the hood from over his head. Wesley looked up at the man standing in front of him.

'William the Bloody.'

'It's just Spike now.'

'What did you bring me here for? And where is _here_?' Wesley asked.

'_Here_ is Wolfram and Hart.' Spike began. 'I brought you here because I need information on how I can find Angel.' Wesley turned away from Spike, hiding his face.

'You can't find him.' Wesley stated. 'He's dead.'

'No, you see, I don't believe that. I think you're just scared of what might happen if he comes back. I know all about what happened with Angel and Connor… and you. And Connor wants to see his father again.'

'Connor's here? He's working for Wolfram and Hart?' Wesley asked.

'Yes. Everyone's here. Me, Harm, Gunn, Lorne, Connor, Fred…' Wesley looked up at the sound of Fred's name.

'Fred's here?'

'Yeah, I just said that everyone's here. They all want to know what happened to Angel too.'

'Can I talk to Fred?'

'Now, we might be able to make an exchange here. You can see Fred if you tell me what I need to know.' Spike offered.

Wesley sighed. 'What do you need to know?'

Author's Note: What does Wesley know? … This is an interesting little idea I had so I'm gonna go with it. Tell me if you like it.


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: _A vampire can exist indefinitely without feeding, but the damage to the mind can be catastrophic. _What if Angel was never rescued from beneath the sea at the end of _Tomorrow_? What if Wesley never found him in _Deep Down_? What would happen to the world as we know it if Angel wasn't a part of the Angel Investigations team for the two years just gone? What if Spike was called to fill in his place?

Chapter Two

'I need to know anything you know about where Angel might be.' Spike answered Wesley's question.

'I know that the last place he was going to before he disappeared was to a lookout on a cliff beside the ocean. He said he was going to meet someone there.'

'Connor already told us that's where he last saw Angel. He went there to find him but he was already gone.' Spike interrupted. 'What _else_ do you know?'

'Not much. I've been trying to track him down for the past couple of months, but I've had no luck. I've had demons, humans, sources of mine trying to find him. But I failed.' Spike became curious.

'Why did you try so hard to find him? According to everyone else here, you deserted them.'

'I just… I need to see him.' Wesley replied. 'I owe him an apology, but I have doubts that he'll accept.'

'You know, I never got to the bottom of what happened between you lot. I know that you joined Angel and the others a few years ago, when I didn't have a soul. I also know that something big went down, and I think it probably had to do with Connor and Angel, and split you guys right up. Then Angel disappeared.'

'And Cordelia. There's still no sign of Cordelia.' Wesley added.

'Well, actually yes there was. Last year she uh… well she…' Spike picked up instantly that Wesley didn't know about what happened to Cordelia with Jasmine. To cover up, he spoke of how he thought of her from back in high school. 'Ah, good ol' Cordelia. Bit of a bitch she was…' Spike was stopped mid-sentence as he saw the look on Wesley's face.

'Don't say that about her. You don't know her; she's a different person to who she was in high school. The Cordelia we all knew disappeared.'

'No Wesley, Cordelia didn't disappear. Well, she did, but she came back. And she didn't remember any of the crew… Angel, Fred, Gunn, Lorne or even you. Nobody was recognised by her, so we tried to help her re-adjust.'

'And you did that out of the good of your heart?' Wesley asked. 'Spike, why didn't I know that Cordelia returned?'

'I don't know. Maybe you weren't as interested in all of your "friends" as you thought, and you just didn't pay enough attention to see that she came back. Hell, if you had, you would have seen her change and you would have had to be the one to kill her.'

'Change? Kill her?' Wesley shot at Spike. He froze. 'You _killed_ Cordelia?'

'No. I tried, but only 'cause she was gonna give birth to the worst evil the world has ever seen. And hey, that's _me_ talking.' Spike chuckled.

'You tried to kill her? Spike, what is it with you? Why are you here?' Wesley asked.

'I'm CEO!' Spike held his hands out in front of him, declaring himself important. 'Geez Wesley, I thought you of all people would be able to see somebody who's in power.'

'What's that supposed to mean?' Wesley objected.

'Nothing.' Spike looked at the clock on the wall. 12:42pm. ' Look Wesley, I don't have a lot of time, so can you help me find Angel or not?'

'Spike, exactly how long have you had your soul?' Wesley quickly changed the subject without even an expression change.

'What? Didn't you hear me? I've got to go…'

'Spike, how long have you had your soul?' Wesley repeated.

'Um… two years now, I think.' Spike stuttered.

'And Angel… you haven't even _tried_ to find him?'

'What? No! I've had P.I's searching the bloody world to find him. The bastard just disappeared.'

'You show such little respect for somebody with such a close connection with you Spike.' Wesley stated.

'Shut up.' Spike stepped forward. Wesley remained helpless in the chair, his hands still tied behind his back. 'It's not as if I didn't _try_ to find him, cause I told you I did.'

'Spike, you're still the same old vampire you were _before_ you got your soul _two _years ago. _Two years_! Spike, that's nothing. Angel suffered for a hundred years, and you show up; with a soul and take over everything he spent his life achieving. And you don't even seem to care.'

Spike growled and punched Wesley square in the nose. He fell out of the chair, landed on the floor and stopped.

'You don't know how I feel.' Spike snarled. Wesley looked up at Spike from the floor, struggling to manoeuvre himself into a comfortable position. Spike leant down and dragged him to his feet. He pulled Wesley close, so their faces were about 20cm apart. He vamped out.

'There's who I was looking for.' Wesley whispered hoarsely. Blood trickled from his left nostril, yet he was unable to wipe it away. Spike pulled him around and tore at the ropes binding his wrists. The broke, setting Wesley free.

He suddenly lunged at Spike, tackling him to the ground. 'You don't know that I care, do you?' Spike asked as Wesley pinned him to the ground.

'You _couldn't_ care.' Wesley accused. Spike threw him off and tossed him to the left, rolling over and watching him roll a few times until he hit the wall.

Wesley and Spike looked up at each other. '_You_ don't know me Wesley. You don't know what I've been hiding underneath everything.'

'Hiding? Spike, the only thing you're hiding is the fact that you couldn't care less that Angel is gone. Face it, you would rather soak up the glory of being the champion here, fighting the fight that Angel tried so long to keep up.'

Spike jumped to his feet and ran at Wesley. Just as he got to his feet, Spike grabbed him by the shoulders and hurled him back across the room. He landed on the ground and rolled three times before coming to a halt against the couch.

Spike stood facing Wesley, breathing heavily. 'I missed Angel.' He yelled across the room. 'I admit it. I've been looking for him for_ months_, Wesley. _Months_. And I've had no luck. We were two of the worst faces of evil in history, but we both share a common bond where we show respect to each other through hate. You couldn't understand, so don't try. Just know that I haven't given up on him, like you have.'

'Given up? I haven't given up on him Spike. I just know that it takes time to find people, especially people like Angel. When he disappears, it's for a good reason. I'm just waiting for him to come back.' He pulled himself to his feet.

'He's not coming back Wesley! The only way to get him here is to bring him here. And to do that, we've got to find him. That is why you're here. And because you're pissing me off so badly, I think I should just get rid of you now.'

'You know you can't do that Spike. You've got a soul now, and there's now way that you'd live with killing me.'

'You wanna find out, sport?' Spike challenged.

'Bring it on.' Wesley taunted, knowing full well that Spike would never go that far. At least, not until he'd found Angel. Spike charged at him, but stopped at the last minute as Wesley stepped aside, preparing to have him run straight into the wall. Spike grabbed Wesley's collar and drew him close again.

'You know I'm not gonna kill you.' Spike whispered. Wesley just stared, silent. 'I'll just hurt you really badly.' He smiled wickedly and threw Wesley back several metres into a wall. He fell to the floor before quickly but painfully getting to his feet.

'Yes Spike, I know you'd never kill me. Not until you know where Angel is, right?' Wesley asked. Spike paced over and pressed his arm against Wesley's throat, pinning him to the wall.

'Are you saying you know more than you're letting on Wes?' Spike asked.

'Maybe, but I wouldn't tell you.'

'Oh come on, I'm not that bad once you get to know me.' Spike replied, releasing Wesley and kneeing him in the side at the same time. He grunted and hunched over. 'Don't give up now Wes, who knows what's gonna happen now that I know you've got info on Angel.'

'I don't have any more information than you do.' Wesley replied, wheezing.

'Liar!' Spike shouted, spinning around and hurling Wesley across the room another time. He hit the chair he'd been sitting in earlier and rolled over the top of it before coming to rest of the floor. He struggled to get to his feet, allowing himself to fall back down a few centimetres to the floor. His whole body ached from the beating Spike was giving him, and from his journey to Wolfram and Hart. His knees ached from falling out of the van, his wrists were stiff and scratched from the rope and his back was beginning to give him problems.

He flipped himself over just in time to see Spike towering above him. He looked up, desperate to be left to just lie on the floor. He coughed, feeling blood at the back of his throat.

'Come on Wes, get up.' Spike snarled, his vampire visage being pushed right into Wesley's face. His fangs dipped over his bottom lip in a dangerous way. He wouldn't dare bite Wesley, he wouldn't go that far. Would he?

'Spike…' Wesley tried to speak. Spike pulled him to his feet and supported him, his legs struggling to hold him upright.

'What? What is it Wesley? You getting tired of this? You can't give up now, I haven't got what I need from you.' Wesley's head rolled to the side, and Spike gripped his shoulders tighter to hold him up.

'Spike…' Wesley tried again.

'Tell me what you know Wesley.' Spike demanded.

'I already have.' Wesley replied, with effort.

'Not everything. You're holding out on me. Now tell me!' Spike shook him and watched the fear building in his eyes. 'What are you afraid of Wesley? Huh?'

'I'm...' Wesley swallowed the rising blood in his throat. '… Not afraid. Not of you.'

'You should be. At least until I've got what I need from you.' Spike smiled a toothy-vampire-grin and tossed Wesley a final time, into a bookcase.

Wesley grunted in pain as he slammed into the bookcase, and watched as books fell to the floor beneath him. He joined them in a painful fall, which he felt from every inch of his body. He ached terribly now, and didn't even try moving at first. As more books fell to the floor around him, Wesley forced himself to roll over so he could deflect the books falling onto him. As he looked up, he saw the bookcase inching forward. He watched in horror as it toppled over, and screamed out in agony when it landed on him.

'Ah!' He moaned and grunted as he tried to free his left leg, which was pinned by a shelf that was sticking out. 'Spike!' he called, pushing with all his might to shift the bookcase.

He heard footsteps near his head, but couldn't turn to see who it was. He watched as the bookcase was slowly pulled up of him and returned to its place against the wall. Spike stood beside him, looking down almost in sympathy.

'Wesley…' he started. Wesley lay there, amongst books and amongst all manner of things. He struggled to move his leg, which he feared may have been broken when the shelf hit it. He rolled his head to face Spike fully, a scratch across his left cheek looking decidedly dangerous. Blood trickled out of both his mouth and his nose, and he appeared to be fighting for breath. He lifted his arm over his body and tried to roll over. Suddenly he looked and Spike's hand was offered near his own. He looked up, puzzled, before accepting.

Spike pulled him slowly out from amongst all the books and helped him to his feet cautiously. He coughed and spat out a mouthful of blood onto the carpet.

'I'm sorry it came to this Wesley.' Spike said. He sincerely meant it. He just wanted the information so badly. 'Do you want to tell me what you know now?'

Wesley inched towards the couch and Spike helped him to lie down, elevating his leg. Wesley groaned in pain, which was beginning to make Spike feel awful for beating him up so badly. But then again, he did used to be evil and this was nothing compared to some of the things he'd beaten up in the past. But Wesley was human, and physically unable to take that much of a beating without consequences.

Wesley struggled to swallow the lump in his throat, looking up at Spike. 'A few days ago someone came to me.' He began. 'One of my sources that was out looking for Angel.' He swallowed and breathed deeply. 'They found him, and I've been gathering resources to retrieve him for the past few days. Then your men kidnapped me and brought me here, when I should be out there looking for Angel.' He coughed, splattering blood on the pillows beside him.

'Where is he?' Spike demanded. Wesley leant back, trying to breath. There was no answer for a minute or two. 'Wesley, where is he?'

'He's…' Wesley began, fighting for air. 'Help me…' He wheezed, more blood being coughed out onto his lap. Spike placed a hand on his back, and took hold of his arm with the other.

'Breath Wesley…' Spike instructed. 'Come on…' Wesley drew deep breaths, exhaling after every new breath. Spike turned away and shouted out, 'Harm, get an oxygen mask in here now!'

Harmony appeared at the door, looking in and seeing the mess near the two men on the couch. 'I don't even want to know. Oxygen mask coming right up.' She turned a disappeared.

On the couch, Wesley's breathing had become laboured and it was obvious he was struggling to stay conscious. Suddenly, Gunn, Lorne, Connor and Fred appeared at the door. Harmony rushed past them with an oxygen mask and quickly brought it to Spike.

When Fred saw who was lying on the couch, she immediately questioned everything.

'Wesley?' Spike placed the mask over Wesley's mouth and began pumping air into his lungs.

'Breath.' He instructed again. He turned around to see everyone standing in his office, staring at the beaten-up body of Wesley Wyndham-Pryce.

'What's he doing here?' Gunn asked.

'He's here about Angel.' Spike told them. Connor's eyebrows rose slightly at the mention of his father's name. Obviously, nobody knew about what he'd done.

'Does he know something?' Fred asked.

'What did he do to Angel?' Gunn added.

'He did do anything. He says he's found Angel, and I'm trying to get it out of him _where_ exactly he found Angel.' Spike informed them.

'Oh yeah, like you should believe Wesley.' Gunn said, clearly not believing that Angel had been found.

Wesley turned to look at them all, removing the mask. 'I know where Angel is Gunn, believe me.' He whispered hoarsely, still struggling to breathe.

'Where is he then?' Lorne asked, not trusting the man himself after taking Connor away as a baby and knocking him out.

'He's at the bottom of the ocean.' Wesley told them. Connor stepped back out of the line, without anyone even noticing.

'What?' Spike asked, shocked.

'That's impossible. Angel couldn't survive under there.' Lorne answered Wesley's comment.

'A vampire can exist indefinitely without feeding, but the damage to his mind could be catastrophic.' Wesley explained.

'So he's really down there?' Fred asked. Wesley nodded and brought the mask back up to his mouth.

'Alright then Wesley, how are we supposed to find him now? There's a hell of a lot of ocean out there.' Gunn asked.

'I know where he is.' Wesley replied, briefly pulling the mask away again. Just give me a few minutes and I'll take you there, all of you. It's late, so we can pull him out without him burning up in the sunlight.'

'Gather everything we'll need on our side, and get ready to go.' Spike ordered. 'Fred, get blood, lots of blood. And Gunn, Connor, you and I are gonna take Wesley back to where his collection of stuff is and we're gonna go out and find Angel.'

'I don't trust him Spike.' Gunn said.

'Me either.' Connor's first words.

'I don't care. I thought you'd be happy to find Angel?' Spike argued.

'Yeah, don't get me wrong I am, but Wesley can't be trusted. He stole Connor while he was a baby and took him away.' Gunn explained. Spike looked at him as he continued breathing into the mask. 'The Wes we knew before is gone now, and all that is left is a broken, lying, deceiving shell.'

'Wesley, if you're lying about this then I promise you that I'll kill you.' Spike swore to Wesley, getting almost no reaction.

'What is there to live for now anyway. Angel probably hates me, and I've had no chance to say my side of what happened.'

'Wesley, we know why you did it. We worked that out ages ago, but what we don't understand is why you wouldn't even try to be good. We know about you and Lilah, and we know what you two got up to together. Don't think we don't.' Fred told him.

'I meant, my side of everything. So you know about why I took Connor, but do you know that I _did_ try to be good? I tried so hard to do things right, even going out in search of Angel. But nothing has worked up until now, and when Angel comes back I expect that he'll kill me.'

'Wesley, Angel has already shown how angry he was, and yeah he promised to kill you, but I don't think he will.' Fred tried to comfort him.

'I'm almost certain that he will, Fred.' Wesley answered, placing the oxygen mask down. He struggled to his feet and allowed Spike to support his weight as the vampire led him, hobbling, to the lift. Everyone headed down to the carpark and piled inside a van. They drove off, headed for Wesley's place by the sea.

He didn't even know that Angel was there, right where he was living. If only he knew.

Author's Note: Yeah, this may seem like kind of a strange turn, what with all the fighting and such, but stay with me guys; I hope this turns out to be good. Should I put a rating on this, or is there not enough physical stuff happening to raise it? Please review if you like, or if you don't.


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